


Objects in Motion

by DizzyDrea



Series: Newton's First Law [1]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-21
Updated: 2012-06-21
Packaged: 2017-11-08 05:49:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/439836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DizzyDrea/pseuds/DizzyDrea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack O'Neill decides to retire because there are more important things in his life than the Air Force. But he just can't stay away from the Stargate Program, no matter how hard he tries. And in truth, he hasn't tried very hard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is part one of a two part story, written during the tenth season of the show. I'm posting it now because it's just sitting on my hard drive, and I hate to see anything go to waste. My style and skill have evolved since I wrote this, so be warned. I haven't edited it at all, so some of the ideas for how the future unfolds are well out of date by now. So, consider this waaaay alternate universe. Also, this is the one and only time I have ever written Daniel/Vala. Not something I plan to repeat, so if you're a Daniel/Vala shipper, enjoy it while you can.
> 
> As for the inspiration, I began to think about how this show should end when it was announced that the tenth season would be the last. But as with all things, this story changed over time. Instead of this being the end of the series, it represents a possible ending sometime in the future. These stories were inspired by the Babylon 5 episodes “Objects in Motion”/”Objects at Rest.” I’ve borrowed the episode names, but not the details of the plots.
> 
> Disclaimer: Stargate: SG-1 belongs to MGM and Gekko Productions, and anyone else who owns a piece of this thing. Fellas, you’ve done a bang-up job on this roller coaster ride. I salute you.

~o~

Newton’s first law of motion states that an object in motion will tend to stay in motion and an object at rest will tend to stay at rest.

Daniel Jackson tugged at the collar of his dress shirt and fiddled with his tie, musing that even though he wasn’t in the Air Force, since becoming involved with the Stargate program his life seemed to be continuously moving at a breakneck pace. He was amazed at how uncomfortable a suit had become during his time at the SGC. His life had changed so dramatically, going from the suit and tie academic to a pseudo-Indiana Jones almost overnight. 

Utilities and BDUs had become his favored clothing, and yet today found him in the old familiar suit and tie. General Hank Landry, head of Stargate Command, had specified Service Dress as the uniform of the day. That didn’t mean that Daniel had to dress up, but if there was a VIP coming, he certainly didn’t want to look like he didn’t belong.

“Daniel, you’re tugging at that tie like it’s strangling you.”

Daniel didn’t respond, mostly because he’d learned to tune Vala out. He continued to tug at his collar, trying to fix his tie so it would lie perfectly, without much success.

Vala Mal Doran rolled her eyes and regarded Daniel with exasperation from her place draped over the arm of a conference room chair. “You could just take it off, you know.”

Daniel shook his head and said “No, I can’t. Service Dress for the military means suit and tie for me. If I take off the tie, the suit will be incomplete.”

“No one said you had to dress up today, you know,” Vala returned. Her own outfit might have been considered scandalous, except for the fact that, being an alien, she really could get away with a tight-fitting, low cut leather jacket and tight leather pants.

“I know, but the General told Sam and Mitchell to wear their Class A’s today, and I'd look like a real dork next to them if I showed up in fatigues.”

Teal’c, who had been standing near the wall of the briefing room listening to the conversation, raised his eyebrow in curiosity. His own attire consisted of a tan suit and a brown dress shirt. He didn’t think he looked odd without a tie, but since he hadn’t learned how to tie one, he simply chose to go without. No one ever said anything. Still, the term Daniel had used confused him. “I am unfamiliar with the term 'dork', Daniel Jackson.”

Daniel’s head whipped around, regarding Teal’c with a bit of suspicion. Lately, whenever he said something like that, he was teasing, something he felt more and more comfortable doing as time had passed. Today, though, there was nothing but curiosity in his deep brown eyes.

“A dork? Hmmm…well, a dork is—it’s a person who—it’s when—“ Daniel broke off, uncertain how to describe the concept of a dork to someone with little idea of what it means to publicly embarrass oneself.

“It’s a common American term for someone who embarrasses himself by doing or saying the socially inappropriate thing,” Vala filled in.

Daniel’s head whipped around the other direction to stare down at her in disbelief. “How did you--?” 

“I can read, Daniel,” she smirked.

“Right,” Daniel rejoined, feeling even more like a dork for implying she couldn’t find information without anyone’s help.

“Daniel, quit fiddling with your tie. You look fine.”

He looked up to find Colonel Samantha Carter walking into the briefing room, Lt Colonel Cameron Mitchell, commander of SG-1 hot on her heels, both looking well turned-out in their dress uniforms.

“I guess I’m a little out of practice tying these things,” Daniel muttered as he yanked the knot out of the tie and prepared to retie it.

Sam crossed the room and took the ends of the tie from Daniel’s hands. Expertly flipping the ends over and around each other, she had the perfect Windsor knot tied in mere seconds as he looked on in amazement.

“I used to tie my father’s ties before he left the house for big meetings,” she said by way of explanation. “My mother showed me how.”

Daniel smiled tenderly at his friend. It was rare for her to share such a personal memory, and he was mindful of the depth of friendship they shared that allowed her to do so.

“Thanks,” he smiled and squared his shoulders, finally feeling comfortable in his suit.

“Hey, where’s the General?” Mitchell asked the room.

“General Landry is speaking to the President,” came Teal’c’s sedate reply.

“Well,” everyone turned when they heard a loud clap and a voice behind them. General Hank Landry strode into the room, rubbing his hands together, a look of what could only be described as glee covering his face, a look that faded as soon as he entered the room. “Where’s—“

Whatever he was about to say was cut off when General Jack O’Neill appeared at the top of the stairs leading from the control room.

“Jack!” Daniel exclaimed before the others could react. “What are you doing here?”

O’Neill smiled and took in the room. These were his friends, the people he valued most in life, and he missed seeing them. Ever since he’d moved to Washington DC, he’d had an empty spot in his life, and no amount of schmoozing and politicking with the Pentagon brass had distracted him from the fact that Colorado Springs was still home and these people his family.

Mentally shaking himself from his momentary reverie, he crossed the room to Daniel and accepted the handshake the other man offered. Teal’c, from his place near the wall, merely inclined his head in acknowledgement of his friend, a gesture O’Neill returned with a smile. Turning to the person he most wanted to see, Jack smiled at Sam and extended his hand.

“Good to see you again, sir,” she said in a tone of voice that, despite her respectful words, held more intimacy than anyone realized. Since her return from commanding the Atlantis Expedition nearly a year ago, they had spent their time reacquainting themselves with each other, a task made easier when they were only two time zones away, instead of a galaxy away. In truth, part of what motivated Sam to return to the SGC wasn’t so much the chance to take over the SGC Science Division, but being closer to Jack, and finally reaching for the brass ring she had coveted for so long.

“Good to be seen, Colonel,” Jack replied in his customary O’Neill bluster. He winked at his former 2IC, letting her know the bluster was just for show.

“Jack, glad you could make it,” Hank Landry pulled his friend’s attention away.

Jack turned to his old friend and shook his hand as he said, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Daniel’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Wouldn’t miss what, Jack?”

Jack turned back to his friend and smiled broadly. “You’ll see,” was all he would say in return.

“So, let’s get this show on the road,” General Landry spoke. “Attention to orders!”

Suddenly, Sam and Mitchell came to attention, eyes forward and unseeing. Daniel looked slightly amused at the pair of them standing stock-still, while Vala continued to lounge sideways in her chosen chair, one leg dangling over the arm, a look of total boredom on her face. Teal’c, on the other hand, stood in respectful silence, ever watchful, understanding that for the Taur’i military, discipline was as important as it had been for him as First Prime all those years ago. 

“Colonel Samantha Carter, front and center,” came General Landry’s order.

Sam strode forward, maintaining her erect posture, saluting when she arrived in front of the General.

General Landry smiled and looked to General O’Neill, who moved to stand next to his friend. Reaching into his inside jacket pocket, he retrieved a small black case and a folded sheet of paper. Unfolding the paper, he began to read its contents.

“Colonel Samantha Carter, for services rendered to the United States Air Force, in recognition of your efforts in defeating enemies foreign and alien, and protecting the planet Earth and its inhabitants, both here and abroad, from destruction, you are hereby promoted to Brigadier General of the United States Air Force, effective immediately.”

Shock was evident on Sam’s face as the orders were read to her. This was the last thing she had expected. It felt as though she had only just settled into her job heading the science division. Now she would be facing an entirely new command, since promotions to General almost never came without one. 

Jack smiled at Sam as he prepared to administer the oath of office. This had been his best idea yet, and one that was surprisingly easy to accomplish. Folding the letter, he spoke into the room.

“Colonel Carter, please raise your right hand.”

Sam raised her hand, eyes forward, still trying to comprehend that her life had just taken a huge turn. She almost missed the beginning of the oath, but having recited it before, she filled in the blanks from memory.

“I, Colonel Samantha Carter, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic,” she said, repeating the words Jack spoke. She paused with a slight smile at all the times she’d done just that, only the enemies she’d defended against were so foreign that they seemed more like the ramblings of a demented science fiction writer.

Continuing the oath, she repeated the final part. “That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.”

Jack smiled even broader as he opened the box he held, revealing the two stars nestled inside. “These were General Hammond’s first stars. He gave them to me when I was promoted, and now they’re yours.”

Sam’s eyes misted up at the incredible gesture. It was a longstanding military tradition to pass on your rank insignia to someone younger at their promotion. The fact that George Hammond, the original commander of the SGC, was like a second father to her, and that Jack was, well, Jack, made this even more special.

General O’Neill looked over Sam’s shoulder and gestured for Mitchell to move forward. Together, the men removed the silver eagles from Sam’s epaulets and pinned the new stars in place. With that done, Mitchell and O’Neill stepped back and both men saluted her for the first time as a General.

Sam almost lost it right there. She returned the salutes, first General O’Neill’s and then turning, she saluted Lt Colonel Mitchell. No sooner had her arm returned to her side than Daniel was in front of her, pulling her into a hug.

“Congratulations, Sam!” he exclaimed, almost more excited than she was.

Congratulations were given all around, even Teal’c coming forward to hug his friend.

“So, Sam, where’s your next posting?” Daniel asked the inevitable question. Rank of this type always came with a command of some sort, and Daniel dreaded learning that his friend would be leaving them.

Sam turned to Jack and raised her eyebrow in a gesture that reminded him of Teal’c. Jack, who seemed to be smiling a lot this day, smiled even wider.

“Effective immediately, General Carter is to take command of the SGC,” Jack spoke to the group.

Sam’s shock only deepened. She turned to General Landry and asked, “If you don’t mind my asking, where are you going, General?”

General Landry gave a smile and a small laugh. “I’m being booted up to the Pentagon.”

“Wait—The Pentagon. Which office?” Daniel asked, somewhat suspiciously.

General Landry exchanged a conspiratorial look with General O’Neill before responding. “Homeworld Security.”

All eyes turned to Jack, the current occupant of the Homeworld Security office. Jack just shrugged and said, “I’m retiring.”

“Third time’s a charm, Jack?” Daniel rejoined, a small smirk on his face.

Jack shrugged again and simply said, “It’s time.”

“When is it effective?” Sam wanted to know. The future had been slowly inching forward, and now what she most wanted in the world was within reach. She had to know just how close it might be.

Jack looked down at his watch and then back up at Sam. Everyone else disappeared from the room and it seemed like it was just the two of them in this moment. “About five minutes ago,” was his quiet response.

Sam took a sharp breath, her blue eyes lighting up at the prospect of what they might be free to do now that the regulations were no longer an issue.

“Well, I guess this calls for a celebration,” Vala announced, pulling Sam away from her thoughts. All eyes turned to her as she spoke. “What? Isn’t that what you humans do when you get good news?”

“I believe you are correct, Vala Mal Doran,” Teal’c intoned.

Sam, for her part, simply smiled at her friend. A party did sound like a good idea. And it would give her the chance to spend some time with Jack.

Jack glanced at Sam and gave a small wink and a smile, letting her know that he knew where her thoughts had gone, and that his were riding a similar path. The time for that was coming, he mused, and sooner than she probably thought.

“Oh, we’re not quite done yet,” General Landry admonished, bringing Jack promptly back to the present.

“More?” Sam asked, regarding the General suspiciously.

“Yes, General, more,” rejoined Landry, enjoying being the first to address her by her new rank. Turning to Mitchell, he said, “Lt Colonel Cameron Mitchell, front and center.”

Mitchell, having just seen this play out, knew what was coming. Coming to attention, he turned towards his commanding officer and waited for his new orders.

General Landry pulled a folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket and read its contents, mimicking exactly what General O’Neill had just done for Sam.

“Lt Colonel Cameron Mitchell, for services rendered to this command, your country and your planet, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Colonel, United States Air Force, and Second in Command of Stargate Command, effective immediately.”

Folding the paper, the General then held out his hand as Jack dropped Sam’s abandoned silver eagles into his waiting grasp, noting her approving look as he did so. Holding them in his hand, he administered the oath of office and then, with Sam’s help, pinned them on.

Mitchell saluted all three Generals, his head spinning. “Do I get to keep command of SG-1?” he blurted out, unable to contain himself. He loved going through the ‘gate and didn’t want to give that up if he didn’t have to.

“You’ll have to sort that out with your new commander, Colonel,” Landry demurred, turning to Sam with the smile of a cat that just ate the canary.

Sam smiled and shook her head, her blonde hair dancing around her face. She was being set up to make her first command decision, a mere ten minutes after she’d taken the oath of office. Nice.

Turning to Mitchell, she said, “Cam, I don’t want to have to replace you on SG-1, so you get to keep your team.”

Mitchell gave a whoop, and then remembering himself and where he was, smoothed his uniform and nodded respectfully. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Everyone laughed at Mitchell’s exuberance, but most of them understood just how thrilling a trip through the ‘gate could be and didn’t begrudge him the happiness at being able to keep doing it.

“So, now that that’s over with, I say we all take the rest of the day off and gather at my place for a BBQ,” Jack clapped his hands together and rubbed them with relish.

“Uh, Jack,” Landry looked at his friend. “You’ve retired.”

“Right,” Jack replied, a frown on his face.

“So, as commanding officer of this facility—“

“Uh, General,” Sam interrupted, “you’re not actually in command here anymore.”

“Right,” Landry echoed Jack’s statement of a moment before.

All eyes turned to Sam, who smiled at the thought of making her second command decision.

“It would appear that we won’t be getting much done today, so I say we take General O’Neill up on his offer. I call this a half day.”

Mitchell whooped for the second time, Vala rolling her eyes at his juvenile behavior. Daniel and Teal’c simply smiled at what they knew would be Sam’s more relaxed command style. And Jack rocked from his heels to his toes and back again, smiling a small, enigmatic smile, looking forward to really getting this day started.

~o~

The party, which had been going strong for the better part of the afternoon, was finally beginning to wind down. What had started as an informal gathering of friends and colleagues had blossomed into a full-blown backyard BBQ. Word had spread somehow that General Jack O’Neill was retiring, and so at some point, nearly all the SGC personnel that could get away had stopped by.

Jack was glad he’d opted to keep his house instead of selling it as he’d originally intended to. He hadn’t visited Cheyenne Mountain as often as he would have liked, but having a house to come home to, instead of being forced to stay in VIP quarters deep underground when he did visit, had been worth the small sacrifice. And now that he was retired, he had a place to call home again, among his friends and family. All in all, it had turned out better than he’d planned.

The afternoon had faded towards evening, and now, with the sun beginning to set, only a few remained. All of the original SG-1 were still there, plus the newest members of the team and a few others, still swapping their favorite stories on ‘gate travel. General Landry had come for a short time but had long since returned to Cheyenne Mountain, commenting that someone had to “mind the store.” He insisted that Sam stay and enjoy the party, reminding her that she would be working harder than she ever had in her life soon enough.

Jack had enjoyed it all immensely. It had been good to spend his first few hours of retirement surrounded by the people he considered most important in his life. But as the afternoon had worn on, he had become more contemplative. And so he had retreated to the porch, nursing his beer and thinking about the future.

Well, at least one part of his future, he mused, smiling wistfully. Sam. He didn’t know how he was going to do it yet, but he planned to talk to her before he returned to Washington to pack up his office. He didn’t want to think about retirement without her beside him. They had waited too long, he thought. It was about time they got to be happy. He just hoped she still wanted to be happy with him.

“Here you are,” Sam said, climbing the steps to the porch, interrupting his thoughts.

“Here I am,” Jack confirmed.

“I was wondering where you’d gotten to, sir,” she commented.

Jack winced as he took a sip of his beer. “I’ll make a deal with you, Carter,” he began. “You stop calling me ‘sir’ and I won’t call you Carter anymore.”

“Sorry, s…Jack,” Sam apologized as she boosted herself onto the railing. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

Jack leaned back in his seat and sipped at his beer. It was these quiet moments that Jack missed the most, he mused. Didn’t get any of those in Washington, not that he’d expected to, but he was looking forward to finding out what quietude felt like.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Sam cut through his musings.

Jack gave a small smile. “Is that all they’re worth these days?”

Sam chuckled. “I’ve got a five in my wallet, if that’s more to your liking,” she rejoined.

Jack heaved a sigh and took another sip of his beer. “Just thinking about the future,” he hedged. 

“The future,” Sam echoed. “Heavy thoughts.”

Jack gave a small smile. “The future.”

“So…why did you decide to retire?” Sam asked, figuring that was as good a place as any to start talking about 'the future'.

Jack leaned forward and rolled the bottle between his palms. His face took on a contemplative look as he tried to find the words to explain. “I’ve been a soldier most of my life,” he began. “I entered the Air Force right out of high school, became a Special Forces operative after graduation, and went to war. I’ve done things for this country that most people don’t even know about.”

“You’re a good soldier, Jack” she reminded him.

He glanced up at her before returning to stare at his bottle. “It isn’t the only thing I’m good at, though,” he declared quietly. “When I met Sarah, I wasn’t looking for anything complicated. But she wasn’t like any other girl I’d ever met, and suddenly I found myself wanting to do things I’d never wanted to do in my life, like protect her, make a home with her, have a family.”

Sam watched Jack in the fading light. He was sitting right in front of her, but his eyes told her he was a million miles away, in a time and place far removed from his porch. He tended to be a private man, keeping his private life separate from his public one. But he was opening up to her in a way he’d never done before, and it sent a small thrill up her spine to know that she was sharing this moment with him. 

Concern flitted briefly through her at the thought that he’d brought up Sarah because he wanted her back now that he’d retired. She squashed that thought before it had time to fully form. She knew how he felt about her, and about Sarah. She wasn’t going to start doubting him now. 

“I miss it, you know,” he continued, oblivious to Sam’s thoughts. “I miss being married. Miss having someone to share my life with. The SGC has been good for me, gave me a home and a family that I thought I’d never have again. But it’s time for me to move on and find those things again outside the Air Force.”

Jack looked up to find Sam’s eyes on him, studying him intently. He’d thought of nothing but her since he’d decided to retire. They had broken just about every rule in the book in his years with the Stargate program, but fraternization seemed to be the one rule that neither of them wanted to touch. Now was their chance, though, and Jack was determined to take it.

Rising from his chair, he covered the two steps to the railing, coming to a stop right in front of Sam and setting his beer bottle down on the railing beside her. She turned to face him, her legs dangling over the railing, eyes full of questions and heart ready to burst. She’d thought they might finally get a chance to be together after Jack retired, but somehow she didn’t expect it to happen the same day he announced it. 

“I retired, Sam, because there are more important things in my life than the Air Force,” he told her, holding her gaze, trying to communicate with his eyes the depth of emotion in his heart. “I retired, Sam, because I want to be with you.”

Sam couldn’t believe her ears. Had he just said he wanted to be with her? No dancing around, no innuendo, no veiled meanings. Just the honest truth. She thought her heart might burst from happiness. Her hands reached out of their own volition, running across his chest, up to his shoulders and around his neck, tugging his face down to hers.

At the first, soft touch of their lips, both of them sighed, as if coming home from a long, hard journey. Jack’s hands slid around her waist, holding her securely to him as his lips caressed hers. When her lips parted beneath his, he smiled slightly before dipping his tongue into her mouth, tasting her sweetness. Stars seemed to explode behind their eyes, though the kiss was sweet and slow, each savoring the taste and feel of the other, a moment long denied but somehow always fated to be.

When they parted, they stared for long moments into each others’ eyes, drinking in the adoration and desire clearly written there. Neither one of them moved, for fear of breaking the spell.

“I love you, Sam,” Jack whispered, caressing her face with his hand.

“And I love you, Jack,” Sam whispered, marveling at the way those words fell so easily from her lips.

Jack dipped his head and touched her lips in another kiss, this one more passionate but no less loving. They broke apart again, their foreheads together, both reveling in the freedom to simply touch each other.

Jack lifted his head and stared once more into Sam’s face, memorizing every detail of how she looked in this moment, wanting to store it away for all time.

“Hey Jack, I was wondering…oh, OH!” Daniel ground to a halt at the top of the steps, realizing too late what he’d interrupted.

Jack merely smiled, never taking his eyes off Sam’s. “Daniel?” he queried.

“Uh, yes Jack?” Daniel replied.

“Go away.”

“Right,” Daniel confirmed, backing away from his two friends, a big smile on his face.

~o~

The stars were twinkling overhead by the time Jack and Sam rejoined the group. By now the only people left were the original members of SG-1, plus Cameron Mitchell and Vala Mal Doran, the others having long since gone home or back to the base.

Jack and Sam were sharing a chaise lounge, Sam stretched out between Jack’s legs, leaning against his chest, with Jack’s arms surrounding her. If anyone had noticed their easy familiarity, they didn’t say anything. This had been years in the making, and for everyone present, it was a good sight to see.

“So, Jack,” Daniel began. “What are you going to do with your retirement? Go fishing?”

“Actually, he’s going to be working for me,” came a familiar voice.

“General Hammond!” Daniel exclaimed.

“I heard there was a party going on. Thought I’d come join the fun.”

“You're always welcome, George,” Jack replied with a wave of his hand to welcome their old friend into the group.

“I hear congratulations are in order, General Carter,” Hammond indicated his friend as he took a seat.

“Thank you, sir,” she replied with a smile.

“You don’t have to call me ‘sir’ anymore, you know,” he reminded her with a wink.

Sam smiled and blushed slightly, inclining her head to glance up at Jack. He squeezed her around the middle as he met her gaze, a smile on his face.

“I’ve been hearing that a lot today,” she responded. “I guess it’ll take a while to get used to the new rank.”

“That it will,” Hammond observed, taking in the way Sam and Jack were snuggled up together on the lounger. He smiled at the thought that these two had finally, if appearances were to be believed, found their way to each other.

Jack had told him when he’d come to his old boss and mentor to talk about retirement, that it was time he did something about his relationship with Sam. He felt he had done all he could do for his country in Homeworld Security, and it was time to move on to the next phase of his life. Hammond had agreed wholeheartedly.

“So, Jack’s going to work for you after he retires,” Daniel questioned, breaking into Hammond’s musings.

“To be accurate, we will be going into business together,” Jack supplied, causing all eyes to turn to him.

“Are you not retired, General Hammond?” Teal’c wanted to know.

Hammond chuckled. Retirement had to be a strange idea for someone who’s working life was probably going to end in an untimely death at a young age, until he’d come to Earth.

“This is actually an idea I’ve been working on for some time, but hadn’t had the opportunity to implement yet,” Hammond informed the group.

“It seems he’s had this idea since he sat in my chair at the Homeworld office,” Jack smirked. “He just doesn’t want me to retire.”

“So what will you be doing, sir?” Cam asked.

“We’ve started a company called GO Ltd.,” General Hammond announced, as if that explained everything.

“What’s that stand for?” Vala wanted to know, impatient to get to the core of the idea.

“It stands for ‘Global Offshore’,” Jack inserted. “We’ll be providing security for off-world science teams, to take the load off the regular SG teams.”

“It’s an interesting idea,” Cam put in. “Like the private contractors the military uses overseas. So the regular Army doesn’t have to pull escort duty.”

“Exactly,” Hammond confirmed. “I realized a while back that, at some point, we would need to contract out off-world security in order to maintain operational readiness among the SG teams. If we were stretched too thin, we wouldn’t be able to defend against an enemy attack. I proposed this to the President, who agreed one hundred percent.”

“But the timing for starting something like this has been less than great,” Jack continued. “With ongoing threats from the Goa’uld, the Ori and the Replicators, we simply didn’t have the resources to dedicate to getting this off the ground. Now that things have calmed down, we should be able to implement the program with a minimum of fuss.”

“Does General Landry know about this?” Cam asked.

“He’s been briefed by the President,” Hammond confirmed. “As the new head of Homeworld Security, this program will fall under his office, so we had to get his buy-in for it to work.”

“So how is this going to work, General?” Daniel asked.

“Basically, I’m going to run the office and handle recruitment, and Jack’s going to take on field training and operations. We’ll have regular teams, called GO teams, manned by former Special Forces personnel that will go out with science teams to provide security. It should be a seamless transition.”

“So you’re not really leaving the Stargate program, are you, Jack?” Daniel asked, a smile tugging at his mouth.

“No, Daniel, you can’t get rid of me that easily,” Jack smiled.

Daniel’s eyes narrowed. Sam had been silent throughout the exchange, and he suspected she knew more about this than she was letting on. “You knew about this, didn’t you, Sam,” he accused her.

Sam smiled at being caught. “Jack told me a little while ago. He wanted me to hear it from him. And the upside is he’ll be relocating back to the Springs.”

Daniel suspected that was the part that Sam liked the most. He smiled once more at the thought that things seemed to be working out well for his two friends.

“O’Neill, I would be happy to help you design a training program for your recruits,” Teal’c offered.

“Thanks, buddy,” Jack replied. “I’d be grateful for your expertise.”

“I’d be happy to help out too,” Cam joined in. “These guys aren’t going to need much military training, from what I gather, but it’s still a shock going through that blue puddle for the first time.”

Jack smiled as he remembered his first time through the gate. And Daniel’s, and Sam’s. It would be a bit of a shock, and that wouldn’t be the only one they’d be getting. He had his work cut out for him.

“Thanks, gentlemen. With such friends, we can’t fail,” he blustered, touched by all the support they were receiving.

“I propose a toast,” Vala lifted her beer. “To the future.”

“The future,” came from those around the group.

Each one took a sip from his or her drink, and contemplated the future. There were big changes in store, but they had always been up to anything thrown at them. With excitement creating a low hum, chatter resumed and the group set about reacquainting themselves with each other and laying out a plan for the future.

...continued...


	2. Chapter 2

~o~

General Samantha Carter looked out over the conference table in the briefing room and surveyed her team. Teams, she corrected herself, for seated around the table were actually three distinct teams. Present at the briefing were members of SG-1, the science team and the commanders of GO-Team 1.

To her left, Daniel Jackson was conducting the briefing. She could see the excitement rolling off him as he described the world they were about to visit. It amazed her no small amount that after so many years of gate travel, he could still act like a kid in a toy store when presented with an interesting mission.

Beside him sat Dr. Jennifer Lin, the science team’s linguist. She was a petite woman, with a round face and dark, expressive eyes, her hair cut in a short but attractive bob, her attention focused entirely on Daniel and his briefing. Beside her, Steven Phelan, their computer expert and Jennifer’s husband, sat listening in. He had a boyish look to him, with dark glasses and bright blue eyes. And next to him, Vala sat draped over her chair, wearing blue utilities and pigtails, a bored expression on her face.

At the opposite end of the table, General Hank Landry sat, absorbing the briefing. He’d come to personally oversee the deployment of the first GO Team, and also to see the ‘old place’ as he’d called it.

Seated to Landry’s left, Cam Mitchell sat, sporting a vaguely bored look reminiscent of the looks Jack O’Neill used to get during briefings. Beside him, Colin Leander sat in rapt attention. Leander, a muscular man of forty with short brown hair and sharp green eyes, was the leader of GO-Team 1. Over the last several weeks, during the planning and training for this mission, Sam had gotten to know him. A former SEAL, he had an easy command style and a quick sense of humor. She found she liked him immensely. 

Near the head of the table, Teal’c sat quietly listening. It didn’t escape Sam’s notice where he’d place himself. He was seated at the right hand of Jack O’Neill, as if that were always his place. Jack, directly to Sam’s right, held a bored look on his face nearly identical to the one Cam was sporting. Briefings had always been trying on his patience, especially when Daniel was the one doing the talking. It appeared today was no exception.

“But this is the part we’re really interested in,” Daniel’s excitement caught her attention. 

Sheepishly, Sam tuned back in to the briefing. She understood now why Jack always seemed to appear only half tuned in. Daniel’s excitement, while contagious, tended to cause him to add more detail than was strictly necessary.

The mission before them was interesting. Daniel and SG-7 had visited P5X-331 two months ago to follow up on some interesting pictures sent back by a UAV. They found the ruins of a courtyard surrounding a sealed room. The pedestal in front of the doorway contained a mixture of Ancient and another language Daniel didn’t recognize. It had taken him a while to translate the markings on the pedestal, but once he had, the discovery had been huge.

The pedestal resembled a DHD, with buttons and symbols that, when pressed in the correct order, would open the doorway. According to the inscriptions, contained within the room was knowledge of value to the Ancients. The race that had built the courtyard and pedestal had taken it upon themselves to protect the information left behind by the Ancients. They had also created a computer interface with the Ancient database contained within the room, allowing them to tap in to the knowledge stored there. It was this that had Daniel so excited.

“This doorway appears to lead to a room that may contain an Ancient artifact. You can see—“

“Wait,” Jack burst out. “There isn’t one of those Ancient brain-sucking things in there, is there?”

Daniel smiled at Jack before turning his gaze to Sam, who was also smiling. Jack’s track record with Ancient devices was not good. Hence, whenever one was discovered, he became suspicious.

“Well, Jack,” Daniel began cautiously, “we don’t really know what’s in there, though the inscription says it’s an Ancient database of some sort. We weren’t able to open the doorway before we had to get back to the ‘gate. That’s why we’re sending this team,” he explained carefully.

Jack rubbed his hands over his eyes, then through his silver hair. Giving Daniel a warning look, he turned to Sam. “I’m not sticking my head in another one of those brain-sucking things just so Daniel can play archaeologist,” he informed her.

Sam smiled and shook her head. “That’s why Daniel and his team are going back. So they can figure out if this alien device really does grant access to the database, so we don’t have to resort to that.”

“Okay,” Jack agreed. “I’m just sayin’.”

Sam smiled and opened her mouth to question Daniel, when a voice from the other end of the table interrupted her.

“Why exactly do we need to go investigate this, again?” Vala put in. “I mean, don’t we already have access to the Ancient database on Atlantis?”

“Yeah, what she said,” Jack piped up.

Sam frowned and looked to Daniel, who seemed to have already given this some thought, as he had a ready explanation.

“Well, we think that each database is unique,” he began. “Each one contains a record of everything the Lanteans had learned up to the point where they left the database behind. We won’t know when this one was placed until we access it, but we believe it was sometime after the Ancients returned to the Milky Way.”

“Got it,” Vala drawled, winking at Daniel and pointing her finger as if she were pulling the trigger on an imaginary gun.

Before Daniel could launch himself back into his briefing, Sam interrupted. “So Daniel, exactly how long are you going to need to study the room and surrounding area?”

“It depends on how long it takes us to actually get into the room,” he hedged.

Sam knew her friend. If given the chance, he would stay indefinitely. He was actually leading the science team for this mission, instead of taking his usual position on SG-1, so he wouldn’t be returning with them. But she still needed to give him a time limit so he didn’t get carried away.

“I’m authorizing you for two weeks.”

“Sam—“ Daniel began, but was cut off by her raised hand, a gesture that reminded him of General Hammond.

“Let me finish,” she admonished him. “You’ll have two weeks to gain entry into the room and evaluate the time needed to catalog the contents, providing you find anything of value in there. You’re to report back to me with your findings, and we’ll discuss how long you’ll be able to stay at that time.”

Daniel smiled. Her leadership style was so much different from Jack’s, Landry’s and Hammond’s. She saw things from the scientist’s point of view, but still took into consideration the safety of her teams, and military needs and protocol. It had been interesting adapting to this new way of doing things. Every once in a while, though, Daniel would hear ‘no’ and think the worst.

“That sounds reasonable,” Jenny Lin inserted, heading off what she was certain would be another argument from Daniel. They had worked closely since Daniel had returned from P5X-331, translating the inscriptions and trying to decipher the code for opening the room. She’d found Daniel to be enthusiastic and tremendously skilled. And charming. And sweet. In short, she’d grown fond of him. 

Daniel smiled at Jenny, knowing she meant to cut off another argument from him. He felt slightly sheepish at being read so easily. 

“One last thing,” Sam said, gaining everyone’s attention. “I’ll be going with you.”

Surprised silence met her. Smiles broke on Jack’s and Daniel’s faces as they absorbed the news. “Just like old times,” Jack observed.

“Does that mean I can stay home?” came Vala’s hopeful voice from the other end of the table.

Sam smiled and shook her head. “I’m going strictly as an observer. You’ll be needed on SG-1.”

Vala frowned, but kept quiet. It seemed like a simple mission, so she didn’t see why they’d need so many people. 

“Who’s going to keep an eye on things here?” Cam asked, already suspecting the answer.

“I am,” General Landry put in. “Sam told me she’d like to go with you, so I came out to man the SGC while you’re gone.”

“I knew there was more to your being here than you’d let on,” Daniel observed, his smile still in place.

“Yep, Daniel, can’t put anything past you,” Sam teased. Before he could reply, she stood up and addressed the group. “This is supposed to be an easy mission, but everyone be on alert, just the same. Report to the infirmary for your pre-mission check-ups—we leave at 1300 hours. Dismissed.”

And with that, the group disbursed, small groups forming and conversation following them out of the room. Jack stayed behind, watching Sam as she wandered over to the observation window and looked down at the ‘gate.

“You miss it, don’t you?”

Sam smiled. Couldn’t fool him. “Yeah, I miss going through the ‘gate.”

Jack rose and moved to stand beside her. “You are the boss, you know. You can go through whenever you want.”

She smiled again. “Have you seen my desk lately?” she asked. “I can’t get two feet away from it before the folders start to reproduce. I swear, Walter must be feeding them.”

Jack laughed at the vivid image she described. He remembered all too well what it had been like to command the Stargate program. His dislike of paperwork was nearly legendary, and it had only gotten worse since he’d moved to the Pentagon. This new job had him writing less reports and doing more hands-on work, which he liked, but he could still sympathize with Sam.

“So maybe every once in a while you need to take a break and join a mission through the ‘gate,” he observed. “It’ll help keep you sane, trust me.”

Sam nodded. She could well remember Jack getting cabin fever on several occasions when he’d been stuck behind his desk for too long. She didn’t want that to be her. 

“Well, now that we’ve settled that,” she said, smiling up at him, “we should report to the infirmary for our physicals.”

“I was hoping you’d forgotten about that little detail,” Jack grimaced.

“Sorry, Jack, orders are orders. Besides, Carolyn Lam has been looking forward to your visit.”

Jack grimaced again and Sam laughed, knowing he was thinking about the doctor and her needles. She turned him towards the door and gave him a gentle shove before following him out in the direction of the infirmary.

~o~

Just hours later, the ‘gate room was buzzing with activity. A dozen people were crowded into the room, waiting for the green-light to be given for their mission. Small groups of people stood together, talking in low voices. 

Tait, Lopez and Morgan, the other three members of GO Team-1 stood near the corner of the room, checking over their gear one last time. Vala leaned against the wall under the control room window, a seemingly bored look on her face, blowing bubbles with the bubble gum she was smacking on. Beside her, Teal’c stood stoically, his staff weapon held securely in hand, waiting for the go-ahead to move out.

Daniel stood to the side of the ramp talking to Dr. Phelan and Jenny Lin, the other two members of his science team. He glanced at the Stargate every few seconds, waiting for the sound of the ring turning to indicate they would be leaving soon.

“You’re sure it’s safe to do this?” Steve Phelan asked for the third time.

Daniel smiled and shook his head. He remembered his first time through the wormhole, and how anxious he was when he stepped up to the event horizon for the first time. He had viewed it with suspicion and a certain amount of awe, touching it tentatively and following the changes in the event horizon with his eyes. When he’d emerged on the other side, Jack had chided him for taking so long, but Daniel didn’t mind. It had been worth it. 

“You’ll be fine,” Daniel reassured him once again.

“Quit worrying, Steve,” Jenny chimed in, placing a hand on her husband’s arm to try to help calm his nerves. “The folks around here do it all the time. Nothing to it.” She turned and smiled to Daniel, hoping to cover her own slight trepidation with confidence.

Daniel wasn’t fooled. “You’ll both be fine,” he assured once again. 

Jack and Sam stood with Leander on the far side of the room, near the blast doors, going over last minute details of the mission, trying to make sure they’d covered every contingency. It wasn’t that Jack didn’t have confidence in his team, just that this was his baby, and he didn’t want anything to go wrong on their first mission.

The ‘gate room began filling with the sound of the Stargate spinning. Sergeant Walter Harriman’s voice could be heard over the PA announcing the locking sequence. Everyone turned towards the gate to watch the process.

“Chevron seven, locked,” Harriman called as the last symbol locked into place.

Suddenly, the whoosh of a connecting wormhole filled the room, causing everyone to turn and stare. Steve and Jenny pulled back a little, startled by the immensity of the sight before them.

Jack and Sam stepped up to the end of the ramp, taking in the sight of the open wormhole. It had been a while since Jack had been through the ‘gate, and he was looking forward to it. Anyone looking at his face could see the look of pure joy dancing in his eyes at the prospect of going off-world once more.

They stood still for a few more minutes, while Cam, Vala and Teal’c joined them, everyone eager for the go-ahead from General Landry.

“Okay, folks,” came the General’s voice over the PA, “you have a ‘go’ for your mission to P5X-331. Good luck.”

Jack glanced up at the General through the control room window and nodded, acknowledging the command. “Okay, kids, let’s go.”

“Wait a second,” Cam said, throwing his arms out to stop anyone from moving. “I’m in charge here, so I say—“

“Cam,” Sam piped up, almost cringing at having to pull rank. “Actually, I’m in charge here.”

Vala rolled her eyes and muttered “Here we go again.”

Sam glanced at her, a small smile on her face, knowing exactly what she was thinking. “Since SG-1 is providing escort for this mission,” Sam began, “Cam will be in charge for the duration.”

Everyone murmured their assent, knowing it was best to get that clarified ahead of time.

“Now can we go?” Vala asked, exasperated.

“We can go now,” Sam confirmed.

“Okay, everyone, move out,” Mitchell called out, heading up the ramp to stop at the top. “Teal’c, you take point, I’ll bring up the rear.”

And with that, the group set out on their mission. Daniel, as usual, took the remote for the FRED and nudged the vehicle up onto the ramp and into the event horizon behind Teal’c. He followed, with the rest of his science team behind him. Steve paused at the top, looking at the blue pool as if it would somehow jump out and grab him before Jenny gave him a gentle shove and then followed him through.

Jack, who witnessed the moment, gave a small smile, remembering the same moment over ten years ago when Sam had gone through the Stargate for the first time. Some things never change. He watched his GO team march up the ramp and into the wormhole, following behind them with Sam at his side. 

As they approached the event horizon, he glanced at Sam and gave a smile, which she returned before they slipped into the wormhole together. Cam watched as the last of the travelers stepped through before turning and saluting the General and then stepping through himself.

The wormhole disconnected and silence once again descended on the ‘gate room.

~o~

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking,” Jack began, not missing a beat as he came through the event horizon and descended the stairs to stand near the DHD. “Welcome to P5X-331, where the weather is sunny and a pleasant 68 degrees. We know you have many choices when it comes to ‘gate travel and we thank you for choosing to travel with us. Have a pleasant day here on P5X-331, or wherever your final destination may take you.”

Sam chuckled and smiled as she heard Jack give his customary “debarkation speech.” Glancing over at Daniel, she noticed the same amused expression gracing his face. Even Teal’c had a small smile on his face as he was reminded of times past.

“Okay, folks,” Cam called to the group as he exited the wormhole. “Everyone okay?”

The GO Team stood at the bottom of the stone steps leading up to the gate, looking a little shocked, but otherwise none the worse for wear. Steve Phelan had stopped at the top of the steps and promptly lost his lunch. Jenny stood beside him, her own face a little green, trying to help him stay upright.

“Looks like we all made it in one piece,” Sam observed, seeing the queasy expressions on several faces. “For the most part.”

Daniel made his way over to the two scientists. “You two gonna be okay?”

Steve looked up and just stared at Daniel. “I thought you said there was nothing to it?” he accused.

“There is,” Daniel smirked, “absolutely nothing to it. Except for some motion sickness.”

“You could have warned me,” Phelan groaned.

“You’ll manage,” Daniel assured him. “It only happens the first few times you go through the ‘gate.”

“The first few? I may never do it again,” Jenny deadpanned.

While Daniel tended to his two friends, Cam and the rest took stock of the surrounding area. The ‘gate stood in the clearing of a small valley. Surrounding them on three sides were deep groves of trees, spreading up from the edge of the clearing to climb the low hills. A path led away from the gate to the only hill not covered in trees.

“Who’s got the map?” Jack asked, looking for some sign that someone in the group knew which way to go.

“I believe we should follow this path, O’Neill,” Teal’c put in.

“SG-7’s report said that the site is twenty clicks that way,” Sam said, indicating the direction of the path.

“Sounds good to me,” Cam said.

“Just a leisurely walk in the park?” Vala observed.

“It’s not that bad, really,” Daniel remarked, rejoining the group. “It only took us a day to hike it last time.”

“Okay,” Cam said, doing some quick calculations. “Looks like it really is afternoon here. Let’s head out and we’ll make camp in a few hours.”

Nods of agreement came from all around. The teams gathered what equipment they were carrying, and looked to Mitchell for direction.

“Teal’c, you take point,” he began giving orders. “Vala, you’re on our six.”

Vala rolled her eyes at having to bring up the rear. Nothing was worse than having to ride heard on a bunch of inexperienced travelers.

“O’Neill,” he turned, having become familiar with addressing the man without his title over the course of the last few months of training and preparation. “Have your men take the flanks. General Carter, you, Dr. Jackson and the scientists are with me.”

And without another word, the group moved out, headed for the hill, and whatever lay beyond.

~o~

The night air was crisp as Daniel took a sip of his coffee and surveyed the area. He was seated on a log, a little bit away from the low fire still burning in the center of the camp. It was well past midnight, and he was just beginning his turn at watch.

They had stopped before sunset near a small grove of trees, exhausted from the long hike. By mutual agreement, they had opted to forgo the tents and sleep under the stars. They’d built a fire and hauled a couple of large logs over for seating. After dinner, Cam and Jack had settled on a system for the watches: SG-1 would watch the camp while the GO team patrolled the perimeter, giving them some much-needed experience. 

Things had gone smoothly thus far, and Daniel looked forward to a quiet finish to a quiet night. He caught sight of a dark figure moving towards the camp, and his hand automatically moved toward the gun in its holster at his thigh. Recognizing the figure as it moved closer, Daniel relaxed a bit and returned his attention to his coffee.

“Everything okay?” he asked as Jack poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot by the fire.

“Yeah, just checking on the kids.” Instead of sitting on the log beside Daniel, Jack lowered himself to the ground and leaned against it for support. 

“How’re they doing?” Daniel inquired.

“They’re fine,” Jack said, a hint of pride in his voice. “The stars are ‘wrong’, Lopez says, and Morgan can’t get over the fact that there are no crickets, but otherwise, they’re good.”

“It’ll take some getting used to,” Daniel offered, knowing the truth of that statement. He remembered thinking the same thing when he’d first begun to go off-world. It had taken time, but he no longer gave it any thought.

“Things here okay?” Jack broke into Daniel’s musings.

“Yeah, nobody even moved at shift change.” Daniel smiled at the memory of seeing where Jack’s bedroll had ended up, and decided to rib his friend a little. “I noticed your bedroll mysteriously landed right next to Sam’s.”

Jack smiled. He’d wondered how long it would take Daniel to mention it. “Seemed like a good idea at the time,” was all he would say.

“So,” Daniel began, knowing he might get smacked down for asking a personal question, but deciding to ask anyway. “How are things with you and Sam?”

To Daniel’s utter astonishment, Jack’s smile grew even wider as he looked over at his friend. “Things are good, Daniel,” he informed his friend. 

“Just good?” he pressed, knowing he was pushing his luck, but not really caring at that moment.

Jack chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. “Really good.” he offered. But, knowing Daniel the way he did, he knew he’d have to do better if he wanted him to stop asking questions. “I’m happy, Daniel, happier than I’ve been in a long time.”

Daniel let the silence stretch, digesting Jack’s words. It wasn’t hard to see that Jack and Sam were two of the happiest people on this or any other planet. Since Jack’s retirement party, they’d both been grinning like a couple of lovesick teenagers. And since he had moved back to Colorado Springs, they’d seen a different Jack: more tolerant, quicker to smile and definitely easier to work with.

“She’s amazing, you know?” Jack offered into the silence. “She’s got men falling all over her, willing to go to the farthest reaches of the galaxy if she asked. And she prefers to sit with me, sipping a beer, looking at the stars. How’d I get so lucky?”

Daniel smiled. In all the years he’d known Jack, he’d never once heard him open up like that. The love of a good woman will do that for you, he mused. “I think she’d say she’s the lucky one,” he observed.

Jack snorted but didn’t say anything. He wasn’t going to argue the point. He’d long ago decided that it didn’t matter how or why they were together, only that they were together. He’d stopped questioning it and decided to just enjoy it.

Hoping to forestall any more questions from Daniel, Jack took the offensive. “So, anything going on with you and Vala?”

Daniel cringed and looked deep into his coffee cup, hoping that if he waited long enough, Jack would forget the question.

“Is that a yes?” Jack queried, a small smile tugging at his mouth.

“That would be a ‘no’, Jack,” Daniel said, annoyance tingeing his voice.

“What? I thought you two were good together.”

Daniel frowned again and glared at his friend.

“Too aggressive for you?” Jack asked, loving the annoyed look he was getting. 

From somewhere beyond the fire, a voice drifted out towards them. “Hey, at least I went after what I wanted,” Vala pointed out before rolling over and going back to sleep.

“Oops,” Jack said. “Sorry about that.”

“S’okay, Jack,” Daniel put in. “She’s just not one to take no for an answer.” Daniel paused, collecting his thoughts. “We seemed to always get thrown together, there for a while. She’s smart, capable, not just a little attractive, and totally untrustworthy.”

“Not even a little?” Jack asked for confirmation.

“Not even a little,” Daniel confirmed.

“Oh,” Jack rejoined. “Totally in love with her, aren’t you?”

“Yep,” Daniel blushed.

“I knew it,” they heard Vala mutter. Daniel’s blush deepened, but neither of them said anything.

They fell into silence again, sipping their coffee and watching over the camp as they’d done on countless worlds. A figure began to emerge from the darkness, and both men reached for their guns before they recognized Teal’c moving towards them.

“O’Neill, Daniel Jackson,” Teal’c greeted them as he took a seat on the log beside Daniel.

“Everything okay, T?” Jack asked.

“Everything is well,” Teal’c confirmed. “After my watch, I went out to check the perimeter. Your men are well trained, O’Neill,” Teal’c observed.

Jack nodded. “I’ll tell them you said so. They’ll be pleased.” 

Teal’c inclined his head in acknowledgement.

The men had come to respect Teal’c over the weeks of their training. After the initial shock of learning that he was an alien who used to have a parasite living within him, they’d come to understand that he was also a superior soldier and tactician. They’d all become avid listeners, and Teal’c had been happy to pass on his knowledge to such willing students.

Dawn had begun to peek over the hilltop, coloring the sky a familiar purple hue, signaling the coming day. The camp remained quiet, though, since they’d agreed that for the sake of the scientists they wouldn’t get too early of a start.

Sam crawled out of her bedroll a short time later and fastened her boots before moving to join the guys. She stopped at the fire and prepared a fresh pot of coffee, taking her now steaming cup to sit and enjoy the sunrise. 

“Good morning,” she called quietly to the rest of the group, sitting on the log next to Jack. She dropped her hand to his shoulder and gave a quick squeeze before returning both hands to her cup.

A chorus of greetings met her arrival. “Did you sleep well?” Teal’c inquired.

“You know me, Teal’c,” Sam smiled over at him. “I can sleep anytime, anywhere.”

“She’s not kidding,” Jack confirmed, before realizing what he’d just said. Sam frowned at him as he colored slightly, slapping his shoulder lightly before smiling and letting him off the hook.

Slowly, as the sky turned from purple to pink, the camp came to life. One by one, the rest of the team rose to get coffee and join the group. Lopez and Morgan came in from the perimeter to join the group, grateful for the coffee and the opportunity to relax a bit before they set off again. Vala, who had given up trying to sleep, got herself a cup of coffee and went to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Daniel on the log.

“So, exactly how much farther do we have to go?” Steve Phelan asked some time later, as everyone was finishing up their MREs.

“We actually made pretty good time yesterday,” Daniel informed the group. “I’d estimate we’ll be there sometime around lunch.”

“Okay, then,” Cam stated, authority coloring his voice. “What say we get a move on?”

As one, the group moved off to repack their bedrolls and prepare to leave. Sam doused the fire and emptied the coffee pot before returning it to the pack on the FRED.

“I’ll take point this morning,” Cam called to the group when it appeared everyone was ready. “Teal’c, you take the rear. O’Neill, have your men take flanking positions, same as yesterday. Vala, you and the General stick with the science team.”

Everyone nodded in acknowledgement and took their positions as they set out in the direction of the ruins.

~o~

Hours later, the group topped a rise and came to a halt. Before them stretched out a wide valley. Tall grass swayed in the breeze surrounding the path they had been following. In the distance they could see the circle of stone pillars surrounding a large, domed structure. The path turned from dusty ruts to cobblestone as it neared the ruins. 

“Wow,” Sam exclaimed as she took in the valley below.

“That ought to keep Daniel out of trouble for a while,” Vala agreed.

Daniel smirked at Vala before ducking his head in slight embarrassment. In truth, he probably would be quite caught up with it in no time once they arrived. He hated being so easily read.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Cam called out to the group. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Mitchell moved down the hill along the path, followed by the rest of the group. As they got closer to the ruins, he could see that what they’d thought was a single row of columns surrounding the outer edge of the courtyard area turned out to be several concentric circles of columns radiating from the domed building outward.

“Okay, guys, spread out,” Jack instructed his GO Team. Even though they had footage from the UAV and Daniel’s visit with SG-7 telling them that all was safe, Jack didn’t like surprises, and didn’t want to take any chances this time either. Given SG-1’s penchant for getting into trouble on even the simplest missions, he had learned long ago to be cautious, no matter the situation.

The group approached the ruins quietly, moving among the columns, examining their surroundings. Suddenly, a column exploded right next to Jack, who instantly dove for cover. Around him, columns were taking hits, causing the rest of the team to drop and seek what cover they could.

…continued in _Objects at Rest_ …


End file.
